Wordless Wednesday: Apple Tree in Bud

P.S. This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago. See what the apple trees look like now here: http://www.keeping-home.com/blog/?p=575

I've Been "Flinging" Today

Have you?

My sewing table looks better (I can see it). I've gotten rid of some clothing I will never wear, tossed a few others things, and more.

I can't say that I'm done though. I'll be at it tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. My to do list needs some attention too. :-)

Meeting the April Motherhood Challenge, part 2

So, what am I doing for points #1 and #2. I don't know. It's always easier to just challenge other people and let oneself off. *smile* Let's see what I can do

#1 We can clean up our bodies. We may be clean on the outside but maybe not on the inside! We might have too much cholesterol, too much sugar in our blood, or a variety of toxins in our bodies, for example. Or we might have health conditions that could be reversed or completely removed from our bodies if we made some changes in our lifestyles.

Hmmm. . .
. . . Hmmm. This is hard! Nothing is jumping out at me. Oh, I thought of something . . . but I'm going to keep it to myself (that's certainly allowable!).

#2 We can clean up our habits or our lifestyle. We may need to change some of our habits that have put us into a diseased condition or are moving our bodies in that direction, or perhaps have made us physically weak. We may need to increase exercise and “clean out” inactivity from our life., for example.

Physical fitness. No question about this one!

I have been working in the garden nearly every day with good weather. My back is complaining a bit about the load I put on it forking weeds out of the ground. It will recover though, and, hopefully, get stronger.

I need to work, particularly, back strengthening and arm strengthening into my routine, whether through work or exercise. This is going to be a hard clean-up operation, I'm afraid, because, obviously, my ordinary routine, no matter how much physical work I'm doing, just isn't giving me the strength I need. You know what that means? CHANGE!

Meeting the April Motherhood Challenge

Specific things I'm doing . . .

For area #3 The Diet I'm eating more vegetables. As a vegetarian I eat plenty of vegetation but it is in the form of beans, grains, and grain products more often than it should be and in the form of fruits and veggies less often than it should be. I'm working on vegetables right now. I've been eat lots of cabbage lately!

For area #4 The Environment my focus has been fresh air. My brain and body work so much better when I get enough fresh air. Sometimes it's a bit hard to get to my bedroom windows to regulate the air flow (and I can't just leave them open because it isn't warm enough consistently yet). My project (which took me only a few seconds to do!) was to move some stuff that had fallen in the floor in front of one of my windows that was making it harder to get to the window to open and close it. Such a simple thing. lol Sometimes the things we need to do ARE simple.

Still need to do something for those other two areas before then end of the month.

Wordless Wednesday: Peach Blossoms in the Sky

Womanhood and Girlhood Challenges of the Month: April, 2010

Due to the lateness in the month, April's challenge is going to be very small and easy. Quite simply, rejoice in the LORD.

And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house. . . ~ Deuteronomy 26:11

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. ~ Psalms 28:7

Take a moment to express your praise and thanksgiving to God for anything that comes to mind, in any way that suits you.

Please share what you have done (or a part of it). You may share in the comments or leave directions to your blog posts. You may also share your praise and thanksgiving itself in the comments if you wish.

Motherhood Challenge of the Month: April 2010

This month's motherhood challenge has to do with spring cleaning ~ spring cleaning our bodies, that is, or our physical health. The goal is to put our bodies in better health in order to make us better prepared for motherhood.

So how can we “spring clean” our physical health?

#1 We can clean up our bodies. We may be clean on the outside but maybe not on the inside! We might have too much cholesterol, too much sugar in our blood, or a virety of toxins in our bodies, for example. Or we might have health conditions that could be reversed or completely removed from our bodies if we made some changes in our lifestyles.

#2 We can clean up our habits or our lifestyle. We may need to change some of our habits that have put us into a diseased condition or are moving our bodies in that direction, or perhaps have made us physically weak. We may need to increase exercise and “clean out” inactivity from our life., for example.

#3 We can clean up our diet. That is, what we eat and drink, and how we eat and drink it. Can you think of any eating habits in your life that aren't exactly what they should be? Is it time to toss something out?

#4 We can clean up our environment. I don't mean “the environment” but our own personal environment: our home, the environment that surrounds the home in which we choose to live, and the places we choose to work and to go for whatever reason.

To meet this challenge:

Firstly, look at the above four points and brainstorm some ways in which you need to clean up for each separate area.

Secondly, make some research goals ~ several items you want to know more about or areas in which you want to learn more about what kind of cleaning up you might need to do. These goals should be planned for the next few months.

Thirdly, make some goals for how to continue to clean up after this challenge is over. Focus on one or two very high priority clean ups.

Fourthly, do at least one specific thing to spring clean your physical health in each of the four areas: your body, your lifestyle, your diet, and your environment.

Fifthly, please share what you have done (or a part of it) as well as some of the things you plan to do in the futu

Wordless Wednesday: I Can't Help Loving Dafodils!

Keeping Home Newsletter and Drawing for Gift Certificate

Keeping Home (the "parent" of The Hope Chest) is starting a free e-newsletter. You can find out more about it here.  As my post title suggests, you get entered in a drawing to win a gift certificate to the store when you sign up.

The Great Spring Fling!

Okay, I hope I'm back now. As soon as I got over being sick, a good chunk of my time was sucked up by a church project that is going on all week. It's a very worthy project but The Hope Chest is suffering because of it. :-)

The Great Spring Fling is a get organized challenge. Fling away the clutter!

Throw away your trash. Give away or sell things you don't need anymore. Return borrowed items to their owners.

This challenge also applies to any stuff that is out of place in your home. Maybe your clutter is stuff that you use (or would use if you could find it) but it's out of place either because you didn't put it away or because it doesn't have a good home.

If things are mixed up within your spaces (bedroom, bathroom, closet, sewing room, etc.), “fling” everything into it proper home. If things don't have a proper home yet, see if you can find one.

Dirt, dust, soap scum, and other junk and gunk are included!

What about items that have been hanging around your to do list for way too long? Or unfinished projects? Or anything you have been meaning to do for a long time? This challenge is about those things too!

So for the next month and a half (until the end of May) let's fling away the clutter, whethers it's physical clutter, mental clutter, or even emotional clutter.

Share what you are doing to meet the challenge. You can share in the comments or leave directions to your blog posts.

Thought for the Week: Trust In the LORD

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; 
and lean not unto thine own understanding. 
In all thy ways acknowledge him, 
and he shall direct thy paths. 
~ Proverbs 3:5-6

You Can Do It!

You can learn to garden. You can learn to sew. You can learn all those other things you need and want to know how to do.

Go read this post by Olivia over at Teaching Good Things. That is your assignment for today. :-)

Wordless Wednesday: Double Dafodil

With others in the background.

April 2010 Scripture of the Month

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 

~ Philippians 4:4

This month. . . 

Let us rejoice in the LORD Himself.

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. ~ Deuteronomy 6:5

Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. ~ Jeremiah 9:23-24

Let us rejoice in His comfort, His peace, and His guidance through the difficulties of this life.

. . . for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. ~ Hebrews 13:5

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. ~ Psalms 28:7

Let us rejoice in His salvation.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ~ John 3:16

Let us rejoice in His promises of good things to come and to "wipe away all tears" from our eyes.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. ~ 1 Corinthians 2:9

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. ~ Revelation 21:4

Let us rejoice in the good things God gives us along the way. 

Although we cannot have every blessing we might wish for and although trials must come, I believe that God delights in making things as nice for us as He possibly can under the circumstances. The circumstances of this life are pretty rotten overall, but that's no reason to ignore all the wonderful blessings God manages to give us. Let's rejoice in His gifts and in the One Who gave them. 

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights . . . ~James 1:17

And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house. . . ~ Deuteronomy 26:11

Theme for April, 2010

This month's theme is. . .

Spring!

Let's enjoy this wonderful season while we learn and grow this month!


Here's a springy picture for you. It's the inside of a white hellebore.

Just a little note . . .

I have been sick lately, and although I'm on the mend I'm still tired. My Internet connection is being especially slow too. As a result, the transition into April's theme is going to be a bit slow also. Thank you for your patience!


~ Hopeful